Envelop-feeding mechanism.



J. S, DUN CAN. ENVBLOP FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAE. 1, 1909.

Patented June 3, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WW QM 224K)? J. S. DUNUAN.

ENVELOP FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 1, 1909.

Patented June 3, 1913.

.mlll 4 q M. A M W,

J. S. DUNCAN.

ENVELOP FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.1, 1909.

1,063,335. Patented June 3,1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

J. S. DUN CAN.

ENVELOP FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 1, 1909.

1,063,335, Patented June 3, 1913.

' I 4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

, o w o r in raw ripa- JUSEPHS. DUNCAN, .OIEflHIGAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNQB T EESQGRABH COMPANY,

DIE CHICAGO, ILLIJSIQIS, -A CORP l: .I l

DIE IIIALINOIS.

ENVELOP-FEEDING "MECHANISM.

-llhe object of this invention 'is, primarily;

to provide means of simple character ".For automatically and regularly -feeding envelops from a supplyto an-addressing-machine where they are provided with addresses or other inscription and then to deliver said envel'ops .after they are addressed in regular order.

Further objectsof the invention are to msure the feeding (if the 'envelops singly and at regular intervals; to operate the ,roll

which draws the envelop from the supply at comparativelylow speed to Iiacilitatethis partof the operation and "then to accelerate the movement of the envelop to provide a mechanism of large capacity; to automatically and temporarily stop the envelop in .printing position; and ito quickly deliver the envelop after it is printed'onto a discharge table.

The invention has other objects in view which will -be #fully pointed out hereafter in the detail description of the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings,'in which Figure 1 is a top plan viewwithout the support 73. Fig. 2 is an elevatlon of one side of the mechanism. Fig. '3 is an elevation of the other side of the mechanism.

dis a sectional 'view'onjthe line of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 -is:adeta1-l 'VIQW showing the ratchet on the drawing @0 11 gear. Fig. '6

is a detail view showing the adjustingdevices .for the throat 'la Referring to the rawin'gs, 7 designates the main frame of -the mechanism which may loe of any suitable-character to carrythe various parts =there'of. This frame is supported in any suitable manner on=or -inf proper relation to an addressing machine; which comprises a carrier .8- operating intermittently'to carry 'printingdevices 9-one-at m'g :rolls 23 relative 'to the drawing rolllO "to accommodateenvelops 'of-diiferent sizes. illhennvelops are held .in place-on the rolls :by backarods 31 which aremounted-in sockets a time into printing position.

A drawing roll 10 made soft rubber, or

other suitable material, is mounted -on a 'r sh-aft 11 supported-in bearings in the frame and a plate '12 :is' arranged above the roll and supported in :adjusted position rel'a-;

Specification of Lettersla'tent.

Patented June 3, i913.

tive thereto to form a 'throat 13 through .WhlCll theenvelops are died from the supply. Ellhis throat plate is supported with its lower .edge in :front ofjthe vertical center ofthe drawing roll and adjacent to the perimeter thereof, the edge of the throat plate ad- .jacent to the drawing roll being beveled at 14, an zfor lthe purposes ihereafterdescribed. While'n'great variety of envelops may be ifed .without :any adjustment of the throat plate :it is preferred to provide an adjustment z'thereof so that the throat can be reguilated itor feeding en-ve'lops or other things aWhlCl'l vary in thickness :to a marked-degree. To this end *the throat plate may be providedzwith a recess 15 extending lengthwise thereof to recei vean adjusting rod 16 which has eccentric bearings -17 at its ends in the main frame. The ends of the rod extend through the main' frame and segmental rigidly .inadjusted position by screws 19 on the main frame, the heads of which overlap the segmentalaed'ge of said plates. An operatingplate may answer the purpose but it is -preferred to have one at e'ach'end'of the rod. Thetthroa't plate imayibe-supported on ears 20 on the trams by screws 21 which pass throughslots 22 in said ears and enter said plate. By'tightening'the screws the throat '75 plates 18 are rigidly mounted thereon to :operate said rod. These plates are secured plate can lie-rigidly secured in its adjusted position. These slots 22 are parallel and may he inclined,as shown, so that the position-of the throat plate relative-to the draw- -ing roll may alwaysbe mainta'ined through- :out its length in any adjustment of the plate.

'The envelops-are piled flat one upon another-and supported =on'the drawing roll 10 and :a plurality of supporting rolls 23. lll hese supporting rolls are carried by a shaft 24 which is -mounted in one part 25 of a two-partframe, the-other part 26 of which ie ipivotally supported by set screws 27 in the 'mainframe. Rods 28are fastened to one part as the part 25, and are rigidly secured in adjusted positionbyset screws 29 in-openings-30 inthe other part. This construction ovides for an adjustment :of the supportinthepart25and by:end'rods-32 and front justably mounted on the cross rods 35 supported on the main frame. With these various adjustments of the parts which constitute the envelop supply holder provision can be readily made for receiving and holding envelops of many difierent sizes and varieties. If desired, the rods 31 can be removed and the two part frame 25, 26, tilted upwardly to hold the envelops in an angular position. The rods '31 may also be removedto enable this two part frame to be swung upward to a vertical position adjacent to the drawing roll and beneath the arms 34, if de-;-

sired, to make the mechanism more compact for shipment. A weight of any suitable kind is placed upon the supply of envelops/to' hold them in compact form. 1

It has been found that the best results arei obtained if the drawing roll is operated at comparatively low speed. This drawing roll is employed to partly feed the lowest envelop from the supply and then the envelop passes into other parts of the feeding:

mechanism which are operated at relatively highspeed to increase the capacity of the;

machine. Tapes 36 are trained over feed rolls 37, 38 and 39 carried by shafts 37', 38 and 39', respectively, mounted in the main frame. The rolls 37 are about four times the diameter of the drawing roll 10 and are located just behind the throat plate. Presserf rolls 40 are mounted in brackets 41 on a rock shaft 42 supported in the mainframeand carrying a rocker arm 43. The free end 1 of this arm is held by a spring 44 in position to be operated by a cam 45 on the shaft 37'.

The parts are timed so that when the envelop is fed by the drawing roll through the throat 13 the presser rolls 40 are moved away from the tapes 36 and the feed rolls 37 to leave anopening therebetween for the approaching envelop. When the envelop is fed by the drawing rollbetween the presser rolls 40 and the tapes 36, the presser rolls are automatically moved up by the cam 45 operating the rocker. arm 43 and the rock shaft 42 to press the envelop against the tapes which thereupon feed theenvelop along at greatly-increased'speed by reason of the difference in size of the drawing roll 10 and the feed rolls 37. When the tapes take hold of the envelop as just described the latter has not yet been entirely fed through the throat 13 and is still in contact .with the drawing roll 10. The envelop may I and generally will revolve the drawing roll at an increase over its ordinary speed. To allow for this I mount the driving gear 46 loosely on the drawin roll shaft 11 and 'secure a ratchet wheel 4 rigidly .to said shaft (Fig. 5). A spring-pressed pawl 48 carried by-the gear w eel engages the ratchet and thereby communicates the movement of the gear wheel to the drawing roll.1 The pawl and ratchet, however, allow the drawing roll tapes and the 'ward thereby.

to revolve at a greater rate of speed than the gear wheel which takes place, as justv described, when the envelop is caught by the presser-rolls 40 and fed for- A platen 49 is adjust ably supported on a cross bar 50 which is connected at ts ends to arms 51 pivoted at 52 in the mam frame;

' Thec ross bar and arms are preferably made -in one castlng as shown. These arms carry rolls 53 which. are engaged by cams 54 on the drive shaft 55 and the parts are timedto operate the platen when a printing device and an envelop are in proper position one below the other and-both below the platen. The envelop is supported in printing position on spring arms 56 fastened to the main frame and on idle rollers 57 carried by a shaft 57 mounted in the mainframe. The

spring arms are located back of printing position and the idle rollers 57 are ldcated in front of printing position so that the envelop when supported thereon can be ressed ,by the platen into engagement with the prlnting device. The envelop is carried forward by the tapes from the presser rolls 40 over the spring arms 56 and to the idle rollers 57 and these parts are all arranged in such relation to each other that envelops of many different sizes may be run through the feedlng mechanism without requiring any adjustment of its parts.

The printin operation takes place at some distance in front of the drawing roll and after the envelop has left said roll and been carried forward-by the other parts .of the feeding mechanism. -Means are provided to stop'the forward movement of the envelop during the printing operation and for this purpose I provide two or more fingers 58 which have hooked ends 58 to engage the forward edge of the envelop. These fingers are supported in adjusted position on brackets 59 which are rigidly-secured ona rock shaft 60. The fingers are provided with slots 61 (Fig. 1) to receive screws 62 which pass through said slots and the brackets 59 and are provided with cap nuts 63. The rock shaft 60 carries a rocker arm 64 at one end and the free end of this arm is held by a spring 65 inpositi'on to be operated by a cam 66 on the shaft 37 The freely at one end in sockets 68 in brackets 69 mounted on the upper cross rod 35. At the other end each rod is supported in a bifurcated bracket 70 which is mounted on the shaft 89. A worm gear 71 is rigidly mounted on each screw rod 67 between the arms 70 of the bracket 70 and this gear meshes with a worm 72 on the shaft 39. The brackets 7 O are loose and the worms 7 2 are tight on the shaft 39' and the screw rods 67 are held against endwise movement by the engagement of the Worm gears with the worms. Other means for preventing endwise movement of the screw rods may be provided if desired. A support 73 of any suitable character is placed upon the screw rods 67 and as these rods are turned the threads thereon will move the support from the geared end of the rods backward to accommodate the increasing pile of envelops as the mechanism is operated. This support is preferably removable from the rods so that its position can be readily changed whenever necessary. The screw rods and the support constitute the discharge table.

After the envelops are printed they are moved forward from printin position by the tapes 36 and are elevate to the discharge table by said tapes in coiiperation with elevating tapes 7 4 which travel on rolls 75, 7 6 and,7 7 mounted respectively on shafts 75, 76 and 77. The rolls 75 are preferably located below the rolls 38 so that the printed envelop. will be received between said tapes afterit is moved forward from printing position by the feeding tapes 36 in cotiperation with the rolls 57. p On-the shaft 39 a plurality of disks 78 are rigidly mounted and these disks are provided with peripheral notches 79. The f and the throat plate and forward, in a downnotches 79 are an larly disposed in the periphery of the dis s and the shoulders 79 at the rear end of said notches are adapted to engage the lower edge of the envelop as it is fed forward by the tapes 36 and 74 and throw the envelop with a quick movement over'the adjacent ends of the screw rods and the worm gears thereon against the support 7 3 or the envelops resting against said support. These disks constitute the means for delivering the envelops from the tapes to the discharge table on which they are supported in an inclined position against the support 73.- The screw rods not only feed the support backward but also the envelops resting on said rods andthey have a tendency to feed the envelops endwise. I therefore provide a side gage 80 which may be arranged on the support, as shown, or attached to the main frame or other part of the mechanism in a convenient manner. The screw rods will feed the envelops against said gage and table.

to be driven by power applied in any suitable manner. a gear 82 which drives a gear 83 on shaft 37 Gear 83 drives a gear 84 which drives an idle gear 85 loosely mounted on the end of the shaft 42 which in turn drives a gear 86 on the shaft 40' carrying the presser rolls 40 (Fig. 2-). V A gear 87 on shaft 37 drives an idle gear 88 which drives another idle gear 89 and the latter drives the gear 46 on thedrawing roll shaft 11 (Fig. 3). The rolls 38 and 39 are operated by the tapes 36 which are driven by the rolls 37 and the elevating tapes 74 are driven by the feeding tapes 36 with which they contact through a part of their travel. The printing device carrier 8 may be driven in any suitable manner.

My improved feeding mechanism will feed envelops one at a time from a pile and dis- This power shaft also carries charge them after being printed in regular' order and neatly arranged on the discharge While the drawing roll is operated at a, comparatively low rate of speed .to obt ain the best results and insure'the feeding of the envelops singly the other parts of the feeding mechanism are operated at a high rate of speed to enable the work to be done with greater rapidity. The difference 1 between the rate of speed of operation of the drawing roll and the tapes corresponds sub- 1 stantially to the time consumed in the printing operation so that there is a continuous stream of envelops from the supply pile and to the discharge table. ;opera tes on the lowest envelop in the pile The drawing roll and draws the forward edge of the envelop downward into the throat between said roll lowest envelop is thus fed from the pile the next envelop,'and perhaps the next two or three envelops, will be moved forward against the beveled edge 14 of the throat plate. The beveled edge will stop the forward movement of the envelops above the lowest envelop and prevent more than one envelop being fed at a time, but the drawing action of the drawing roll is sufiicient to feed the lowest envelop, the forward edge of said envelop sliding down on the beveled edge of. v

the throat plate.

I have found that the construction and arrangement of parts herein shown and described and particularly the positioning of the beveled edge of the throat plate relative to the drawing roll will insure the feeding of a single envelop one at a time and I have also found that envelops of different sizes and shapes, within considerable limits of thickness, will be fed in this manner without necessitating a readjustment of the throat plate.

accommodate envelops of different sizes,

I have described my'invention in connection "with feeding envelops for this is believed to be the most important use thereof, but obviously it may be used for feeding cards and many other things and I do not intend to limit or restrict the invention to feeding envelops only and desire it to be so understood.

The inventionis particularly useful in connection with an addressing machine for printing addresses on envelops, but it.will also be understood that it can be used in connection with any other kind of printing machine or with any other machine for which it is adapted.

The several parts are made adjustable to shapes and thicknesses and the stop fingers are also adjustable to locate the address properly thereon. J

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a feedingmechanism of the class described, thecombination of adrawing roll, a throat plate mounted in front of the vertical center of said roll to permit the forward end of a stack of envelops to be "supported by said roll, the lower'edge of said throat plate being disposed below the top of said roll and beveled to flex the forward end of the lowermost envelop over the roll to thereby permit withdrawal of said envelop, and means for adjusting the throat plate vertically to accommodate 'envelops of various thicknesses.

2. In a feeding mechanism of the. character described, the combination of a frame, a drawing roll, a supporting roll movable in an are on said frame and adjustably mounted so that the distance between said rolls may be varied, a throat plate having a beveled ,lower edge mounted in a vertical plane in front of the vertical center of the drawing roll, and means for adjusting said plate relatively to the roll.

3. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a main frame,

a drawing roll mounted in said frame, a

two-part frame mounted to swing on said' main frame, one of said parts being adjustable relative to the other and toward and away from the drawing roll, and a supporting roll carried by said adjustable part.

4. In afeeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a main frame,

a drawing roll mounted in said frame, a

two-part frame cbmprising one part pivotally mounted in the mam frame and anroll.

other part adjust-ably supported on said pivoted part, and a supporting roll carried by said adjust-able part behind the drawing 5. In a feeding mechanism of the class described,the combination of a main frame,

a drawing roll mounted in said frame, a

justed position.

two-part frame comprising one part pivotposition in the openings, and a supporting roll carried by said adjustable part.

6. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, a supply holder comprising a drawing roll and a supporting roll behind said 7 drawing roll forminv therewitha support for a supply of material to be fed, apivotally mounted slidable frame in which said supporting roll is secured, said frame being adapted to permit the adjustment of the supporting roll about the pivot center and also in a right line toward and from said drawing roll, and means disposed above said rolls for holding the supply in proper position thereon.

7. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a main frame, a drawing roll mounted in said frame, a supporting ro-llbehind said drawing roll, a

frame carrying said supporting roll and adjustable relative to the main frame, vertical rods carried by said supporting roll frame,

cross rods on'the main frame, arms adjustable on said cross rods, and vertical rods carried by said arms.

8. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a drawing roll, a throat plate supported adjacent to the drawing roll, said throat plate having a recess extending lengthwise therein, an eccentric rod operating in said recess to adjust the throat plate relative to the drawing roll, said rod having a hearing at each end of the plate whereby the plate is adjusted equally throughout its length and means for fastenlng said rod in adjusted position '9. In a feeding'mechanism of the class described, the combination of a main frame, adrawing roll mounted in the frame, athroat plate supported on-the frame adjacent to sa1d drawing roll and having a recess extending lengthwise therein, a rod arranged in 'sai recess and having eccentric bearings in the frame at each end of the plate whereby the plate may be adjusted uniformly throughout its length, and means at the end of said rod for looking it in ad 10. In a feedin mechanism of the class described, the com ination of a main frame, a drawing roll mounted in the frame, a throat plate supported'on the frame adjacent to said drawing roll and having arecess extending lengthwise therein, a rod arranged sald recess and having eccentric bearings 1n the frame, a segmental plate. on one endof said rod,'and a screw operating n the frame and having its head arranged to overlap'and lock said plate to hold the rod in adjusted position. i

11. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a drawing roll positioned to support oneend of a stack of envelops and mounted to rotate in one direction only, means'including a train of gears and a pawl and ratchet connection for positively actuating said roll to feed the bottomlenvelop from the stack, means for holding back the other envelops in the I stack while the bottom "one is' being with drawn, said means, being beveled at its lower edge to flex the lowermost envelop in the stack and permit its withdrawal, and

means operated at a greater linear speed than the peripheral speed of the drawing roll for feeding said bottomenvelop from the supply after it has been drawn forward envelops from the drawing roll to printing position between the printing device and for supporting said envelops during the platen, a spring and a roller disposed, respectively, on opposite sides of the platen printing operation a rock-shaft, a ger mounted thereon and adapted to hold the envelops. against movement by said feeding means, during the' printing operation, means whereby the position of said finger may be adjusted along the path of travel of the envelop, andjmeans to rock said shaft -whereby the finger is lifted out of engagement with the envelop after the envelop has been printed. Y

13. In a feedingvmechanism of the class described, the combination of adrawing roll, means to rotate said roll .to feed envelops or the like one at a time from a sup ply, feed rolls, means to. actuate said rfeed rolls at a speed greater than the eripheral speed of said drawing roll, en ess tapes trained over saidfeed rolls and adapted to.

carry the envelops along'at a greater speed than the normal speed of the drawing roll, and presser rolls mounted to be 'intermitto the speed oftently' engaged with the surface of said feed rolls to assist in withdrawing the envelope from said drawing roll. I

14. The combination with a printing device and a platen, of a drawing roll for feeding envelops or the like one at a time from a supply, tapes for feeding the envelop from the'drawing-roll to printing-position between said printing device and platen,yielding and rotary means on opposite' sides' respectively of theprinti'ng de vice to hold the envelop in engagement with the tapes, and means for holding the en velop against the action of the tapes during the printing operation.

15. The combination with a printing device and a platen, of a drawing roll for feeding envelops or the like one at a time from a supply, means for feeding the en-- velop from the drawing roll to printing position between .said printing device and platen, spring arms on one side of the printingrdevice and rollers 57 on the other side thereof to sustain the envelop during the printing operation, and means for stopping the forward movement of the envelop during the printing operation. Y

16. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a drawing roll, a throat plate mounted in front of the vertical center of said roll to permit the forward end of a stack of envelops to be supported by said roll, the lower edge of said throat plate being disposed below :the

top of said roll and beveled to flex the forward edge of the lowermost envelop from the lane of the stack of envelops to facilitatev lts withdrawal from the stack, and means for adjusting said throat plate to accommodate envelops of various thicknesses.

17. In a feeding mechanism of the class described, the combination of a drawing roll, and a throat plate mounted in front of the vertical center of said roll to permit the forward edge of a stack of envelops to be supported by said roll, the lower edge of said throat plate being disposed beneath the planeof the lowermost envelop in the stack and beveled to flex the forward edge of sald lowermost envelop so that said envelop may be withdrawn from the stack between the roll and the throat plate.

JOSEPH s. Duncan.

Witnesses: I

.WM. 0. BELT,

M. A. Kmnm. 

